By: Ava Schubert, Fall 2023/Spring 2024 TBC Intern
As a senior majoring in Communication Studies, Marketing and Creative Writing, I was not too sure which direction I was heading in my future when I began my internship at Thomas/Boyd Communications (TBC). I have always had a love for writing and knew I wanted to do something related to that field but was unsure of what. Prior to my internship, I never considered how integral writing is in the field of public relations. I thought my future career options were going to be limited coming out of college, but completing this internship showed me that is not the case. In fact, there are more directions you can take with writing than you may think!
Having taken several writing classes ranging from journalism and poetry to nonfiction and fiction, I have always been used to writing in first-person and telling stories through my own personal lens. This year, for instance, I wrote several articles on events and performances I attended for Rowan’s school newspaper. During my TBC internship, I have learned how to write from an entirely new perspective. Having this shift and being able to see firsthand how journalism and writing play such key roles in PR came as a surprise. I even had the opportunity to independently write a blog post for a client, which was something I never thought a public relations agency would handle. This opportunity was the project I enjoyed the most during my internship experience.
Aside from writing about clients’ news and events, I have also been introduced to writing social media posts. While creating and publishing this content is different from the creative writing I am used to in my courses, it has given me so many tools that I can use to apply to my own writing outside of the workplace. Having to produce original written content for social media posts really has allowed me to bring out my creativity.
I have immense gratitude for all the hard work and effort my internship managers Lindsey and Lauren put into showing me how to succeed in a PR agency. The guidance and feedback I have received during my time at TBC has helped me tremendously, and I have gained a lot of confidence in my writing and social media skills. I feel certain that what I learned during my TBC internship will help me in further pursuing my career after I graduate, whether in PR or not. Being able to be creative and enjoy the work I do in my future professional career is something that I have always wanted to achieve, and this internship showed me that it is possible.